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All the Wind Bells  ---  Wind Bell Excerpts - Tassajara hub

Wind Bell -Tassajara
focusing on the early history through Suzuki era
and material all the way through that relates to that era


ZC Board Notes 1966 related to Tassajara

 

WB 62-05 April

 

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WB 65-01 February

 

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WB 66-03 Summer

 

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X'NATION TOWARDS 
Into or 
Site 
S' this

 

The following is about looking at the 160 acre parcel of land known as the Horse Pasture. It wasn't until the end of the year when Baker made the first payment that we learned that Tassajara itself was now what we were buying - and for a price twice as much. - dc

 

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A SITE FOR A ZEN MONASTERY IN AMERICA 
These pictures are of a possible site for a Zen Monastery in America on an old homestead 
Of 160 acres surrounded by 350, 000 acres of National Forest. It is appropriately 
inaccessible over 20 miles Of mountainous dirt road inland from Big Sur California, tNt not 
apryoachable from the coast except by trail. It has the kind Of insect and bird silence 
Of the deep mountains far from automobiles and cities that is conducive to meditation. 
cities and mountains are needed.) 
A Zen morustery is not a place permanent retirement from the world, is 
Bimarily for training and practice, sesshins and intensive of meditation, working 
and living together. There vill a two or three month summer training period which will 
open to anyone who wants to learn or practice meditation in this way. Some or a 
few persons Will probably live there all year round. We cannot invite many Other Zen 
Masters monks to come to America for life trcause they have responsibilities in the 
Orient, With a monastery we can invite some to Stay roc a few months or years. 
Teaching at the monastery will emphasize the practice and understanding of Zen 
of meditation. and of religicA1s life in general. 
The land will cost $150.000. This is much too expensive for Zen Center 
which by necessity must concentrate its resources primarily on maintaining a good place to 
meditate in San Francisco. If we are to this land we Will have to have the help Of 
persons all over America who are interested in establishing such a meditation centet for this 
country. The location and seclusion Of the are the t:æst We have seen in California. 
It is an opportunity we shoutd not pass up.

 

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The pictures are Of Eiheiji Monastery in Japan. While the first on 
the land for an American monastery witt proinbly not look like this, eventually we 
would like to tying an architect and master carpenter from Japan to build a monastery in 
this style.

 

 

WB 66-04 Fall

 

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PUBLICATION OF ZEN CENTER 
CONT€NTS 
Page I news 
17 lectures 
24 Zazen and Lecture schedules 
WE NEED MONEY FOR THE 
MOUNTAIN ZEN CENTER 
Volume V NO. 4 
Fall • 
1966 
We have taken on what seems like an impossible plan to raise $150,000 in 
a very (at least for the initial payments) short time. We have paid S2500 
down on the signing Of the agreement this month, and must raise $25,000 
by December 15 of this year and another $25,000 by March 15, 1967. If 
We pay off the entire amount by March 15, 1967 the purchase price will be 
reduced $15,000 to $135,000. If we do not raise the $135,000 by then, the 
remaining payments will be $25,000 on September 15, and December 15, 
1967 and March 15 and September 15, 1968, except that the last payment 
will be $22,500 to account for the initial $2500 down payment. Jnterest 
will begin at 30./• on March 15, 1967. 
We have committed ourselves to purchasing this land because it' is such 
a beautiful and ideal site for a mountain Zen center or monastery. The 
site itself is good, but what makes it perfect is that it is in the middle of 
the wilderness Of a 350.000 acre National Forest comprising most of the 
coastal range between Carmel Valley and Santa Barbara. It will never be 
urbanized or within the sound of traffic. The only access to •the land is a 
Zen Center 1881 Bush Street San Francisco Fl 6-7540 
Shunryu Suzuki, Roshi, (Zen Master)

 

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20 mile dirt road Cleared by the county once a year. (There is a future 
Byssibility of an additional 320 acres nearby which include hot springs.) 
As you know. Shunryu Suzuki Roshi, the Zen Master and Head Of Zen 
Center, came to America about eight years ago for a short stay, A few 
persons who were looking for someone to instruct them in meditation came 
to the old building called the Zen Soto Mission on Bush and Laguna streets. 
Suzuki Roshi said that he meditated early every morning and that they 
could join him. Since then, because of the kind and number of persons 
who have joined him in meditation (he says that he enjoys sitting with 
Americans and likes their spirit) he has given up his temple in Japan and 
plans to stay in America }Nrmanently. Dainin Katagiri Sensei came to 
America about three years ago to help Suzuki Roshi and Zen Center. Their 
way of teaching is based on letting the essentials of Zen be expressed 
through each person's "great function" and own American way. 
At the present time there are about 150 persons who meditate and attend 
lectures at Zen Center occasionally. About fifty or sixty persons meditate 
every day, some twice a day. The recent week-long sesshin held in August 
was attended by more than eighty persons. Considering that one or two 
disciples is a lot for a Zen master, Suzuki Roshi and Katagiri Sensei need 
more help and a location for a center in the mountains where there Can 
more extensive contact between teacher and student. It has long been a 
hope of Suzuki Roshi to have such a place in the mountains to complete 
or add to the opportunity for Zen practice in this country. And Katagiri 
Sensei and the membership and the Trustees Of Zen Center voted unani- 
mously to buy it. Suzuki Roshi himself is particularly pleased with the land. 
The land was homesteaded so that it contains 40 relatively flat acres 
suitable for farming; springs enough to supply water all year around for 
Fople, irrigation, and the creation Of a small lake: and so that it controls 
a Small valley enclosed by mountains Or ridges on all sides, over 4000 
feet on one side, nearly 2000 feet above the valley floor. It is a wilderness 
Of animals, birds, mountains, and trees. 
A Zen monastery is not what the word monastery implies in English: 
a place to retire fairly permanently from the world. This Zen mountain 
center would be a place to practice Zen and meditation intensively for a 
time in a more universal environment. It would be open to anyone who 
wants to learn and practice Zen meditation. 
In the beginning we would plan to have one, but later two or more, 
three-month training periods at the mountain center. These training per- 
iods, as said, would be open to anyone who wanted to practice Zen 
meditation. There Seems to be a large number Of persons in this country 
who would like to meditate at such a center. The interest we have had 
from Colleges in the East and other places in addition to our own member- 
ship would make a first summer training period possible of from 150 to 
200 persons. 
At first we would probably build simple frarne platform tents or build- 
ings. but later we would like to have a Japanese architect and master car- 
penter help us design buildings appropriate to that mountain area.

 

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Zen Center is a strong meditation group because Of its young members, 
daily morning and evening meditation, and monthly and yearly sesshins; 
but it does not have much money. Because of the predominance of younger 
members (many students and artists, as well as, of course, doctors, lawyers, 
carpenters. teachers, etc.) our income is limited — sufficient to maintain 
any ongoing expenses, but not enough to accumulate capital or to make 
mortgage payments (it is nearly impossible to finance vacant land anyway). 
So we will have to raise all of the $150,000 (or possibly only $135,000) 
in order to purchase the land and begin the development of the mountain 
center. 
We have to buy the land now, because the owner is under financial pres- 
sure to sell in the near future. Because of the manner in which the land was 
homesteaded in relation to the valley, the flat land, and the springs it is nec- 
essary to have the whole of the 160 acres. And of course for this reason the 
owner would not sell only a portion of it. He has also been negotiating with 
other parties who can afford to buy the land outright, but he prefers the use 
we will make Of the land which will conserve and preserve its natural char- 
acter. He has suspended Other negotiations to see if we will be able to go 
through with the purchase. 
Zen Center needs money for this purchase: large and small gifts or 
a substantial long term loan which will allow us to meet the initial payment 
by December 15, 1966 and ideally the reduced purchase price by March 15, 
1967. If you can help with gifts or a loan of any size, please do. If each 
person reading this issue sent a few dollars we would be well on our way. 
This is the first time we have ever really asked you for money like this. 
Will you please help if you can. You will be contributing to a most impor- 
tant effort to establish Zen in America. If we are successful we will have 
gone a long way to making Zen and meditation experience available to 
everyone who desires it in America. 
Zen center is a non-profit organization under California State and U.S. 
federal laws. Contributions are tax deductible. Checks should be made 
out to Zen Center. 
Credits for the following photos of the Mountain Center site are: 
Pg. 4, Robert S. Boni (top), Richard Baker 
Pg. 5, Morley Baer 
pg. 6., Morley Baer 
pg. 7, Morley Baer (top), Tom Buckley 
Pg. 8 & 9, Robert S. Boni

 

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LAND PROJECT MEETINGS 
ARE BEING HELD EVERY 
SATURDAY 
Because of the large amount of work and importance of the effort to raise 
money to buy the land for the Mountain Zen Center, a number of per- 
sons suggested and we decided to have meetings every Saturday after zazen 
at 10 a.m., except when there is sesshin on Saturday and then the meeting 
will be held after the lecture on Sunday at 10 a.m. Everyone is welcome Of 
course at these meetings.

 

 

WB 67-01

 

Mountain Center Report - PDF

 

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DOUBLED EXPENSES 
The cost of running a meditation center at Tassajara Will more than dou- 
ble the monthly expenses of Zen Center. After the mountain center is 
under operation for awhile it will begin to pay a good part of its operating 
expenses. Until then there will be the costs of insurance, of feeding and 
partially supporting the people working there on building a zendo, of 
buying building supplies, butane for the stove and electrical generator, 
and innumerable other small expenses, We also hope in the near future 
to bring over a Japanese scholar and teacher to assist Suzuki Roshi and 
Katagiri Sensei and to remain at Tassajara the year around. 
In order to meet the expenses of running Zen Center and Tassajara, we 
will need an average pledge of $15 to $20 per month from each member. 
This is the time of year for the renewal of pledges. To renew your pledge 
or to initiate membership, please fill out the enclosed card and bring or 
mail it to the treasurer at Zen Center.

 

 

WB 67-02

 

Zen Mt. Center Report and many articles and pages - PDF

 

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MYTHS 
People find myths about things that move them. and a number of stories are 
told about Tassajata more for their mythic and enhancing qualities than for their 
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accuracy. The most Common stories are about the American Indians Who some 
Americans feel are more their spiritual ancestors than the Europeans. The fact that 
Indians and their medicine men used Tassajara•s hot springs spiritual regenera- 
tion and that coyotes, a magical animal for Indians. are seen around Tassajara, en- 
hances the whole area for many people. Another story told us is that the Dalai 
Lama's brother said there are three great centers of spiritual vibrations in the world 
today. and one of them is the Coastal Range in the Big Sur-Tassajara area. Another 
more scientific story was circulated because of its connection with the Himalayas, 
the home Of Tibetan Buddhism, and the belief that high mountains are spiritual 
centers. This is that according to geologists the relatively young (thirty million years; 
Coastal Range of California is still growing, crumpling and pushing in and upward a 
little higher each year over lighter rock deep underneath which the growth is trying 
to balance. They predict that the coastal range may one day be higher than the 
betan Himalayas. (This kind Of mountain growth may also explain why there arc so 
many steep, accordion-like ranges around Tassajara. It perhaps also explains the hot 
springs • Source which may be primary water being released from rocks heated and 
crystalizing from the great pressure of the mountain growth, The hot springs also 
may come from ground water collecting and being heated by volcanic gases near the 
surface.)

 

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Trudy Dixon carrying her oryoki and 
zazen cushion. 
Student Rob Gove building the altar 
for the present zendo.

 

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EARLY HISTORY OF TASSAJARA 
In 1843. a hunter hiking up the Carmel Valley met a party of On their 
Way into the mountains. Their leader, who 'Poke Spanish well and so must have 
been a Minion Indian, told the hunter that they Were going to hot springs to 
cure skin disease which had broken out among them. They planned to • 'build 
sweat hut of mud and branches over the place where the hoc water flowed from 
the ground [the site of the present-day vapor rooms) and then remain there until 
they got so weak the medicine man would have co carry them out. After chat 
they would wrap. their bodies with ribs Of deer 0t some other wild animal." 
When the Indiana •topped using the springs is not known. but by 1868 Frank 
Rust had opened a camp there. and by the early 1870's "Doc" Chambers and 
"Rocky" Beasley were hunting out of the caves five mile.' upstream. These caves 
had been inhabited for at least a thousand years by Indians. who had left white 
prints of their hands on the walls. Often the sprinp Were occupied by several 
tribes at once, perh4's by the Costanoans of Monterey and Soledad who could have 
come down the Church Creek from the Caves, and the Salinans from che Jolon/ 
San Antonio Misdor area who could have come upstream from the Arroyo Seco. 
There was reputedly so much game at the springs that there was never much quarrel- 
inc among the tribes When 'hey did fight elsewhere—which was seldom—the 
ment the first person on either side fell. everyone retreated. 
Because the way into the sprinp was so inaccessible, particularly to those 
to be cured by them, the squatters who succeeded Frank Rust after he 
vacated his camp the winter Of '69, usually stayed less than a year. despite the still 
great quantities of game, •from quail to grizzly bear. which abounded there.' 
"Rocky" Beasley clamed to have killed 132 such beat. 
The first settler with entrepreneuring aspirations Was Jack Borden and the name 
he Ove the springs was Tassajara, i.e., a place where meat i' dried and jerked, even 
though meat had most likely never been cured there. Until then the springs had 
been called Aßla Cali:nte (Hot Water). a name the Spaniards had given to all the 
hot springs in California. The following is a description of Tassajara under Borden's 
proprietorship. as it appeared in a Government Office Travel Guide, A Handbook 
to Monterey and Vicinity (1875): 
about forty-five miles from Monterey. There are some dozen hot 
mineral springs—reported to be very effective remedial agents. 'All 
the flesh i. heir to. • barring consumption, may find here alleviation 
Or Cure. The late C. A. Canfield, our Monterey •avant, forwarded some 
Of Waters to Smithsonian Institute co be analyzed; and it WAS 
reported the richest spring then known in the United States. Thirty. 
two ingredients were found herein. The water reaches the surface of 
the earth at 140 to 150 degees Fahrenheit. Mr. Jack Borden, the pre- 
sent proprietor, reports some remarkable cures." 
The paragaph following this states Mr. Borden's intention to form a "joint stock 
company" to develop Tassajara. but he didn't do either, The first buildings were 
raised by the next Owner. William Hart, in the late '70's, This included a two or

 

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three room log "hotel," a shale dining room (the present zendo). a few cabins, and 
a shale bath house (the stone rooms) with a plunge and wooden tubs that resem- 
bled horse troughs. 
The road Was begun by Charles Jr., Who purchased Tassajara from Hart 
in 1884. His partner, John McPhail. was crew boss. The first section, from the 
James Ranch up to and along Chew's Ridge, was built with local laborers using 
plows mainly. Then Chinese laborers were brought in from San Jose to live at China 
Camp and to cut with pick and shovel the eight mile downgrade around Black Butte. 
The road was opened in 1890. but by 1888 a wagon could make it down by drag- 
ging large tree behind it. After that a four horse all-day stage from Salinas came 
in three times a week. But it was not until the early 1950's that the road was made 
two-way by the county. Previous to that an incoming motorist had to telephone 
down to the Springs from Chew's Ridge to see if anyone was coming up. 
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Early view of hotel, 
The road built, Mr. Quilty then began on the 40-room sandstone hotel which 
Was completed in t 893 but Was burned down in t 949. Both the sandstone and 
stone used for mortar were quarried in the canyon. Guests in it were fed corn, melons. 
onions. red peppers and tomatoes which were irrigated with water from the springs; 
trout caught each early morning from the creek, deer, quail and occasional goat; and 
for a beverage sometimes, hot spring water with salt and pepper and butter. which 
One guest claimed • •tasted just like chicken soup."

 

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NEWSPAPER STORIES 
There has been inuch interest in Zen Mountain Center, bodi in this country 
and elsewhere. Japanese and American television Stations visited us, a number Of 
newspapers, a Japanese weekly magazine. several photographers. and a few pee 
ple writing books which would include descriptions of Zen Mountain. This 
outside interest makes us aware that we may be practicing Zen for more than 
just ourselves. Most of the reporters have had a genuine curiosity about and res 
pect for Zen. And surprisingly most of them showed a real interest in wanting 
to come back and practice Zen. 
One Of the first stories that Was thorough and Well-researched was by Jack 
Goddard in the Village Voice, Thursday. July 6. 1967. Jack. the West Coast 
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writer for the Voice. has a real sense Of what is happening at Zen Mountain 
Center. His story grew out of two several-day stays at Tassajara. He most recent- 
ly came in considering a follow-up story, by hiking the twenty-five miles over 
the very mountains from his house On the coast in eight hours. He arrived 
exhausted, unable to talk, but ready to write. 
We are reprinting the story below because it is a good description of what Zen 
Mountain Center was like before the training period opened in July. Many of the 
students who were there at the time this Story was written did not stay through 
the training period. The ones who left were relative beginners in Zen (a few 
months) and did not have enough real mental and physical experience Of Zen to 
cope with the facing of oneself brought about in tangaryo (described earlier), and 
the greater discipline of the training period—mainly a lack Of time for anything 
except Zen practice. We learned we must encourage students to spend time prac- 
ticing with Zen groups in the city first—San Francisco, New York, Rochester, 
Gardena—where the practice is less intensive and helps prepare them for Zen 
Mountain Center. But these first students in the spring did break the ground— 
they accomplished an enormous of work, and their Zen practice estab- 
lished the spirit of Tassajara.. 
Although the central metaphors of religion are often ones (note the use 
of the kyosaku stick to help students in Jack's story), like Christ" crucifixiow or 
Bodhidharma's nine year sitting, still the beginner must be able to find a way inv 
religion to develop his own possibilities. For this reason, beginning next year the 
summer win be left Open to students and visitors, with the fan, winter. 
and spring reserved for more experienced sitters.

 

Three Articles from Village Voice, Berkeley Barb, San Jose Mercury News - PDF

 

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Deep in this valley you can see

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A quiet place in the Tassajara Stream.

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He was found in a tree 
when tee first came to Tassaiara 
and we have left him there. 
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WB 68-01 Summer

 

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With the continued and sustaining support of our donors Zen Center has 
been able to make two more payments on Zen Mountain Center: $40,000 an 
December 15th, 1967 and $20,000 on March 15th, 1968. Thus, $137,500 is 
now paid of the $300,000 purchase price. The amount still owed is S162,SOO 
due in $20,000 installments every December 15th and March 15th until the 
final payment of $22,500 on March 15, 1972, plus $21,000 in loans and 
$7 ,OOO in interest. 
Back in 1965, the total Zen Center income was $6,612 and the officers 
were able to do all the administrative work in their spare time. Even as late as 
March, 1967, President Dick Baker and Treasurer Silas Hoadley could still 
handle everything with the help of one part-time secretary who wrote thank- 
you notes. But this year both Dick and Yvonne Rand are salaried, and Silas, 
John Steiner and Claude Dahlenberg, who have independent incomes, are 
able to donate their time to Zen Center, as do several other full-time and 
many more part-time volunteers. Six more students work in the Office at 
Zen Mountain Center. Much time is spent in preparation and distribution 
of the literature which informs people of our purposes, activities and needs, 
and then in answering by letter or in person the many inquiries that result 
from these mailings. Also considerable time and energy must go into runnin 
the guest season at Tassajara, so that Zen Mountain Center can be selt 
supporting once the property is paid for. 
Parkinson's Law that work expands as the number of workers increases 
does not apply here, as all these workers are Zen students who would be 
content to learn Suzuki Roshi's way by laying stones or sewing robes. The 
concern of Zen Center, after all. is not to operate a religious business but to 
éve those who wish it the opportunity to study Zen in America, sa that 
teachers can be trained and the tree that has been planted in our sandy 
mountain soil can continue to grow. 
For all our American impatience, Buddhism grows slowly and must 
carefully tended. It is in the nature of Zen that it cannot develop quickly 
despite the demands made of it by our modern ways and media. A Zen master 
can train only a limited number of students himself and must have the supp.*t 
of other teachers and of his own experienced disciples. Yet one effect of 
fund-raising publicity has been a large increase in the number of people 
studying at Zen Center and Zen Mountain Center. Because of this influx Of 
new students, Suzuki Roshi has not been able to concentrate on intensively 
training his older students or even personally meeting with the many who 
wish to be his students. Accordingly, Zen Center is inviting two or three young 
priests to come to America next year from Japan and is sending Dick Baker to 
Japan to represent Zen Center while continuing his studies there. These new 
priests will improve the ratio of students to teachers and thus lessen the strain 
on Suzuki Roshi. We will lose for a time the leadership of Dick, however. 
Zen Center has grown rapidly over the last nine years, from two students 
and Suzuki Roshi sitting on pushed-together pews. to several hundred sitting 
in a main zendo in the city, with its associated zendos in Los Altos. Berkeley 
and Mill Valley, and in a community for intensive practice in the mountains. 
Now is the time co refuse the pressure for further expansion, so that these 
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students can have the best conditions for deepening and polishing their practice 
and so that Suzuki Roshi can direct himself fully towards his essential work 
of raining successors. 
For these reasons we are asking our donors if they can help us complete 
our payments this year. This would mean m 
one contribution now 
instead of several over the next four years. It was your extraordinary support 
which made it materially and emotionally possible to purchase the Hot Springs 
buildings and lands instead of the undeveloped Horse Pasture property 
originally proposed, Thus full-time practice was begun five years earlier than 
anyone thought possible. 
With your assistance we can again make a significant step forward. If the 
payments can be made before the end of this year, that energy which the Zen 
Center students and staff would have to divert into fund-raising over the next 
four years could instead be put to its proper use: to fully practice Zen in 
America in a community centered on meditation and on an undogmatic 
approach to Buddhism. Will you please help us complete the purchase now? 
Meditation at Zen Mountain Center

 

Spring Practice Period report - PDF

 

Tassajara Report pp8-15 - PDF

 

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Compound post for the roof Of the new kitchen 
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WB 68-03-04 Fall

 

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Last summer Zen Center was at a critical stage 
in its evolution. The numerous changes resulting 
from the advent of Zen Mountain Center needed 
to be consolidated into a satisfactory and stable 
teaching situation for Suzuki Roshi and the Stu. 
dents. Zen Center found that a number of donors 
were willing to contribute for the specific purpose 
of freeing the students from the pressures of 
fund-raising so that they could concentrate on 
continuing the development of Zen Center and 
Zen Mountain Center. Nearly S65,OOO was donat- 
ed. This amount was turned over to Bob and Anna 
Beck, the previous owners of Tassajara, to cover 
the next three payments. In return they reduced 
the final purchase price. 
Zen Center will now be able to diminish the 
expense and energy drain of two fund-raising 
drives a year and direct its funding activities in a 
more balanced way. It is hoped that enough will 
be donated in an annual drive early each fall to 
the following December and March pay- 
ments in advance. However, if you had planned 
to make a contribution towards this December's 
payment, please do. $12,000 in personal loans is 
already overdue and S104,OOO is still owed on 
the Zen Mountain Center land. 
Why one should help cannot be easily explain- 
ed. There may not be any personal benefit derived 
from doing so. In the Diamond Sutra Buddha asks: 
"What do you think. Subhuti, if a son or daughter of good family 
had filled this world system of a 1,000 million worlds with the seven 
precious things, and then gave it as a gift to the Tathagatas, the A rhats, 
the Fully Enlightened Ones, would they On the strength of that beget a 
great heap Of merit? ' ' 
Subhuti replied: "They would, O Lord, they would, O Well Cone! But 
if, on the other hand, there were such a thing as a heap of merit, the 
Tathagata would not have spoken of a heap of merit. 
The Emperor Of China asked a similar estion of Bodhidharma: 
"Since I ascended the throne, began the Emperor, have erected 
numerous temples. I have published many sutras; I have benefited the 
monks in countless ways. What merit shall I obtain?" 
"None whatever said Bodhidharma. 
' ' What is your name?" demanded the Emperor. 
don't know. said Bodhidharma- 
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WB 70-1 Winter

 

Winter/Spring Practice Period at ZMC, 1969, pp20-30- PDF

 

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Han and Densho at Tassajara, used to signal the changing events of the day.

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Tassajara Creek by the steam rooms, approaching high water, February 1969.

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LAMA GOVINDA wsrrs TASSAJARA 
During the fall practice period of 1968 Lama Anagarika Govinda and his 
wife, Li Gotami, accompanied by Iru Price of the San Francisco Arya 
Maitreya Mandala center. came to visit Tassajara. 
The author of several well-known books' as well as many articles on 
Buddhism, Lama Govinda has achieved wide recognition as an highly articu- 
late spokesman for the Vajrayäna as it was practiced in Tibet. An Austrian by 
birth, he was ordained as a Theravädin monk in Ceylon as a young man and, 
twelve years later, went to India and Tibet where he began a study of the 
Vajrayäna which led eventually to his ordination as a lama of the Kargyiitpa 
sect. He met Madam Govinda, Li Gotami, while teaching at Rabindrinath 
Tagore's College in Shrinigar. She has traveled extensively in Tibet with her 
husband, studying Buddhism there, and was initiated into the Kargyütpa 
sect herself. 
The Govindas now live in North India. at Alniora. in the foothills of the 
Himalayas. Lama Govinda founded and is the spiritual leader of the Arya 
Maitreya Maodala, a Vajrayäna group which has study centers in America 
and in Europe. He is presently at work on a number Of new books, one of 
them a new approach to the interpretation of the r Ching, the Chinese 
oracular classic which has been of great importance in the cultural history 
of Tibet. 
Lama Govinda and Li Gotami stayed at Zen Mountain Center for four 
days. resting quietly after several weeks of strenuous lecturing thro ughout the 
United States. Lama Govinda lectured once in the zendo. (This lecture, 
Siddhas and Zen Buddhism, follows.) He also led an open discussion in which 
students asked various questions about the Vajrayäna, Tibet, and the Lama's 
own life and experiences. He related more of the Siddha tales, illustrating 
them with his own drawings of the legendary figures, and often stressing the 
need for inspiration and joy coupled with dedication in spiritual practice. 
Most students had read at least one of his books, and the discussion was 
informed and lively. 
Madam Govinda is an accomplished photographer and painter, as is Lama 
Govinda himself, and on the third day of their visit she organiied an 
impromptu exhibition of their works in the guest dining room; excellent 
photographs, water-colors, and ink drawings of Tibetans, their monasteries, 
and their religious art. She stayed in the room all day, answering questions, 
relating endless fascinating anecdotes and stories (particularly about their 
adventures trekking through Tibet to trace the famous frescoes at Tsaparang), 
charming everyone with her incredible energy and good humor. 
• Foundations of Tibetan Mysticism, Ryder, 1959. 
Mandalg (poems, in German). Origo Verlag, 1961, 
The Psychological A of Early Buddhist Philosophy. Ryder. 1961. 
The Way Of the White Clouds, Hutchinson, 1966. 
40

 

Machine generated alternative text:
The impression made by the Govindas' visit was powerful and lasting. 
Many students had opportunities to talk with Lama Govinda in his room and 
found the peace, deep quietude and friendly alertness of the man very moving 
and inspiring. Madam Govinda, too, was very happy to talk with students, 
and many, particularly the women, got a new and revitalized view of 
Buddhist practice-life from her. 
Lama A Govinda.

 

 

WB 70-2 Summer

 

Machine generated alternative text:

P2 - Noah - read about Noah in Tassajara Stories

 

Machine generated alternative text:
Inside a Cave in a narrow canyon near Tassajara 
The vault of rock is painted with hands. 
A multitude of hands in the twilight, a cloud Of men's palms, 
no more, 
No other picture. There's no one to say 
Whether the brown shy quiet people who are dead intended 
Religion or magic, or made their tracings 
In the idleness of art; but Over the division of years these careful 
SignHnanual are now like a sealed message 
Saying: "Look: we also were human; we had hands, not paws. 
All Hail 
You people with the clever hands, our supplanters 
In the beautiful country; enjoy her a season, her beauty, 
and come down 
And be supplanted; for you a.l«» are human". 
— Robinson Jeffers 
Tim Buckley 
6

 

Machine generated alternative text:
Judy Frisk

P7 - the Narrows

 

Tassajara pp10-16 - Nature - PDF including the three entries below:

 

Machine generated alternative text:
10 TASSAJARA CALENDAR, HERBAL & BESTIARY 
Tim Buckley and Frances Thompson 
13 ABOUT THE GARDENS AT TASSAJARA Frances Thompson 
15 TASSAJARA ROCKS Sterling Bunnell

 

Machine generated alternative text:
Tim Buckley

P17

 

 

WB 84-1

 

Rebuilding the baths - with historical info - PDF

 

 

WB 84-2

 

Birds of Tassajara by William Sterling - PDF

 

 

WB 85-1

 

Update on rebuilding the baths - PDF

 

 

WB 92-2

 

Machine generated alternative text:
Tassajara 
Ninety-seven people attended Tassajara 25th anniversary alumni 
unicm, this *ptember I —13 (not counting a of Tassajara 
Who are alumni from Way back when). 
We began with a Btxqhisattva Ceremony on the lawn beneath the rising 
with Abbot Mel as kokyo leading the chants. We zazen, worked 
together, Sang and told Okusan the group with a 
joyous rendition of a Japanese fishing K'ng, and Kobun Chino Roshi guided 
us in a ceremony at the ashes sites of Suzuki Roshi amd Katagxri 
Tassajara residents and staff supervised and Pined in with cheerful patieIRÄ2 
and Wann A was had by 
Reunion Yearbook 
For the reunion Layla Ikxkhorst put together a yearbook of pic- 
excerpts from the shuso log and Year Book, and lists Of 
practice period students from 1967—89. Copies of the yearbook may 
purchased in person Or by mail for S22 from the City Center of-

 

 

WB 93-2 Fall

 

Chews Ridge Ceremony - Teah Strozer - PDF

 

 

WB 95-1 Spring

 

Indian bones - Gene DeSmidt - PDF

 

 

WB 96-1 Spring

 

Machine generated alternative text:
Tae drung ray-n was bail iT the I BOOS ane a ccntæp:ece 
'asaajara 40t Spring's and somewÅat bawdy past 
casino, 
speakeasy massage parlor Tassajara's resort reputatior has beer kindly yet 
persiEently -_-ansfcrrnec since l,he or Suzuk Rashi in 1967 wth an 
early-hour meditation sch-eule and Tiles of ethical ce, VViLh affection 
and respect we honor the bLilders in thnse rugged mountains who took 
deiight in the beauty of the vaiiey and created these wonderful buildings 
induding this dining 0301m, which through necessary seismic upgrading wc 
hope to preserve and enhance.

 

from Stone Dining Room by Fu Nancy Schroeder

 

 

WB 96-2 Fall

 

Landscaping with Native Plants at Tassajara - PDF

 

WB 99-2 Fall

 

Fire Comes to Tassajara (on Sept. 8, 1999) - PDF